News • Children's Food Campaign
MPs urged to support new School Breakfast Bill
6 children in every class of 30 are at risk of starting the day too hungry to learn. Sustain is pleased to support member Magic Breakfast in calling on MPs to back a new School Breakfast Bill due to come before Parliament in October.
Even before Covid-19, one in five school-age children were at risk of hunger, and evidence shows that hungry children struggle to learn, and a decent breakfast can contribute to improving their educational outcomes. Now, more than ever, children need the support to start each school day feeling healthy and ready to learn.
Emma Lewell-Buck MP will introduce a new School Breakfast Bill to Parliament on 14 October 2020. The Bill will provide state-funded primary and secondary schools with the resources they need to provide a free, healthy breakfast to pupils, wherever there is evidence of need or a specific request is made. This will ensure pupils from more disadvantaged and lower income households are able to benefit fully from the education system, and could contribute powerfully to the 'levelling up' agenda of this Government.
The National School Breakfast Programme, launched in 2018 with funding from revenue raised by the Soft Drinks Industry Levy, has already supported over 280,000 children in more than 1775 schools in the UK with a healthy breakfast, but there are 1.8 million children in the UK potentially at risk of starting the day too hungry to learn. The Government has allocated a further £11 million funding for the programme during 2020/21 but it is only for 12 months. A permanent solution is now needed.
Sustain and Chlldren's Food Campaign are pleased to support member organisation Magic Breakfast with a new e-action to MPs, asking them to support the School Breakfast Bill.
Take action today - write to your MP and ask them to sign up their support for Emma Lewell-Buck's School Breakfast Bill when it is tabled on 14 October 2020.
For more information:
- Read a short policy briefing from Magic Breakfast about the case for a national Breakfast Bill.
- Read a detailed policy report including evaluation insights from the National School Breakfast Programme and recommendations for Government.
Published Monday 21 September 2020
Children's Food Campaign: Better food and food teaching for children in schools, and protection of children from junk food marketing are the aims of Sustain's high-profile Children's Food Campaign. We also want clear food labelling that can be understood by everyone, including children.
